It's not the Coffee
by tanktopsandcigs
Summary: When trouble comes to the Rizzolis in the form of an old world feud, it will take all of Jane's skills to unravel the mystery surrounding her mother and not get killed in the process.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: _Tess Gerritsen_ owns Rizzoli and Isles. The Publishers publish the books. And the Producers produce the show. I don't have any intellectual right to the characters, or their stories. So I don't get the moneys. This is just fan fiction, I just wanted to tell a story with them in it.

A/N: Criticisms are always welcomed as long as they are criticisms on the fic and how I can improve my writing.

Jane Rizzoli sat at her desk staring at the colossal cup of coffee sitting there in front of her monitor. She looked at Maura and tilted her head toward the cup. "What is this?"

Maura's eyes darted from side to side. "Coffee."

"I can smell that, but why is it on my desk?" Jane folded her arms.

"Because this is around the time you are usually deficient of energy." Maura told her, her hands pressed firmly against her lap. "Am I not correct?"

"Yeah, but this is not my coffee." Rizzoli lifted the cup and tipped it towards her. The smell wafted up to her nose, she cringed away from it. "Come on. I just need a cup of Joe. I don't need coffee brewed for the Queen of England."

"Speaking of special brews for the Queen Mother did you know-"

"No, no, I'm not doing this." Jane swung up out of her seat and captured her jacket from the back of her chair. Just once, she didn't want every topic to be a damn tangent into the wonderful land of 'Guess what Maura knows.' "I'm going down to my regular spot. Get that gunk off my desk."

"Did you not want to hear about the...well, really Jane it's not going to kill you." Maura slid the cup from the desk and sipped it. She licked her bottom lip and closed her eyes. "Specialty isn't synonymous with bad."

"I'm sure it isn't." Rizzoli said as she enter the elevator. She caught view of Frost and stalled the doors. "Hey, we're going to the place around three thirty."

"Yeah, got it." Frost said as he studied the file in his hands. He nodded at Maura as he walked to his desk. He sniffed. "Is that Belego's? That's what... twenty bucks a cup."

Maura shrugged. "It's worth it."

"You don't have to tell me." Frost peaked over his monitor, then dared a glance at the elevator. He stared at the cup in Maura's hand. "Don't tell me."

"What, I'm being a friend." Maura took another sip. "Friends share things they enjoy."

"Not that." Frost clicked out of whatever he was doing and gathered two more files to go with the first. "Yeah, open her eyes to new experiences, but Jane's not big on stuff in her coffee."

"Not stuff, delicious fruit extracts, and rich spices that come together to give a heady explosion of flavor." Maura sighed. Her phone buzzed; she dipped a hand into her purse. She pulled it out and waved to Frost. "Tell Jane I had to go to the morgue. Work to do."

"Next time just get her a regular." Frost smiled as he read the documents. "Or at least ease her into it."

"Ease her into it. Right."

Jane picked up the cup and fished her car keys out of her jacket pocket. The little bistro was only three blocks from the department but her legs protested to any extraneous use.

"You Angela's kid?"

She whipped around. Coffee sloshed out and landed on the back of her sleeve. Just her luck. She hoped the color would conceal the spill. "Specialty coffee my ass. This is the stuff."

"Angela Rizzoli." The guy seemed to have an echo. She nodded and pulled a napkin from her pocket to clean herself off.

She frowned. What her mother had gotten herself into now? "Who are you?"

Jane saw him walk up with quick disjointed steps. He threw up his trembling hand. She dropped the cup as she twisted away from the gun. Three cracks whipped around her. As the third ended her world went black.


	2. Chapter 2

Check Chapter 1 For Disclaimer.

A/N: Based on TV series, not the books. I have yet to read any. And I still need to get a hold of the characters. Much like the show, I'm scrambling for ways to put or two favorite characters in situations together. I realized something after posting the first chapter. I probably going to be loaded down with research. Not looking forward to that.

Chapter Two:

Jane's left hand jumped for her gun. A blast of heat swept through her head, followed by a dull throb. She grabbed her head. Gauze looped from her left temple down the back of her head and around. From the feel of it, it was wrapped more than twice.

Around her machines buzzed and whine not helping the pain scorching through her head and settling behind her eyes. The walls were bare except for a clock and a erase-board and some more appliances she had no interest in learning about. She peeked into the room, squinting as the light from the window glared down on her face.

"Ma?" Jane went to rub the back of her hand, finding a cast on her right arm. A rustle, someone hung off a chair to the left of her bed. "Ma?"

The figure moved and stirred the air as it fiddled with its covers. Jane shivered from the slight breeze and pulled the soft blanket over her. She brought it up to her nose and breathed in deeply. That smell is familiar. "Hospitals are really upgrading."

"Not anymore than usual." Maura said as she folded her covers and tossed them down in her place. "Certainly not when it comes in sufficient furniture. At least you're comfortable?"

Jane blinked. She watched Maura step forward into the light slicing in through the curtain. "Is that my sweater?"

Maura smiled, her dimples seemed to brighten up the room. "Swap, my blanket for your sweater, for a few days?"

"Sure why not." Jane yawned. "So you're to blame for this?" She pulled the blanket higher, and wrapped it around her shoulders.

"I couldn't let them compromise your recovery." Maura sat beside Jane, not pressing against her. "I'm not so sure about their linens."

"Speaking of linens, you don't look too goofy in mine." Jane tried to get her mouth to work some more but as she moved her lips, a sudden dryness attacked her. "Wah..wah..water?"

"I'll have to ask the doctor, in fact we need to get him now."

Jane sat, a bit taken back that calling the doctor hadn't been Maura's first impulse. Maura pressed the button near Jane's bed taking the opportunity to fiddle with the hospital gown. "So unappealing."

"Jane Rizzoli I see. Doctor Flint." After a few moments, her doctor strolled in with her chart and went about checking her vitals. She let him check her eyes, and everything else. After a few glances at the machines he nodded. "Everything looks right. But I bet you're thirsty."

"Yeh." Jane's throat felt like someone doused it in gasoline and lit it on fire.

"I'm afraid It will only be a few ice chips. Until we know that everything is back in order." Dr. Flint put the chart down on the table and noticed Maura standing in the background. "Still here I see. Now Jane do you feel comfortable with this charming young lady listening in while I update you or..."

Jane grabbed the cup on the table and sighed when she found a few chips in them. She knocked them back like they were pain pills. "It's fine. She'd have found out eventually."

"You were shot three times. One of the shots, grazed the left side of your head, but most of the pain you're experiencing is from the fall. Your head hit the sidewalk **hard**."

Jane bit her lip and gestured for him to go on.

"One shot cut through your lower right arm, the bullet impacted the bone. Anyway the other shot lodged itself in your pancreas. You were in surgery for a good portion of your first day here."

"...First … day." She'd wouldn't let the pain get to her. Even though her back, front, top, and bottom ached like crazy.

"You've been in and out for three days." Maura stepped in. "You really don't remember?"

"Where's Ma?"

"Jane."

"Where's my mother, Maura?" Jane kicked the blanket off of her. "Why isn't my Ma here, knocking Dr. Flint's bedside manner?"

"Breathe."

"Don't tell me to breathe; tell me where my family is."

Maura caught Jane's arm and pushed it down on the bed. "They're fine. They're safe. And once you let the doctor finish I'll tell you all about it."

"We'll need to keep you here a few days." Dr. Flint collected the files. "Observational reasons."

"Yippee. This is so relaxing." Jane pulled her pillow up behind her and massaged the fingers sticking out of the cast on her right arm. It tickled. Well, her nerves weren't shot.

"Here's some more ice." Maura closed the door behind the nurse and dropped a tiny pink plastic pitcher on the table. She poured it into a new cup that came with it. "This should make you feel a bit better."

"Wait, this is just ice right. This isn't some fancy ice imported from Greenland or Russia or someplace?"

Maura dropped her hand and put the cup on the table. "You think I don't feel bad about this?"

"Wah?"

"Don't you think that I know if I had just brought you some normal, bland, everyday coffee that you'd still be okay?"

"Wait, Maura. No I..." Jane ignored the jolting pain in her gut. She leaned forward and tugged on her friend's hand. "Look at me. Come on."

Maura looked up. "I know it's not logical to take blame for some random incident but I can't help-"

"You're right, it's not logical. Maura, your fruit coffee didn't put me in this hospital room. Some idiot with a vendetta did. And I'd probably still be in this hospital eventually."

"You don't blame me?"

"For the coffee, yeah I do." Jane laughed when Maura gave her a huge smile. "Come on, give me some of that fancy ice. It feels like somebody karate chopped my voice box."

Maura picked up the cup and Jane took two bites before she grabbed her stomach.

"Is it a sharp pain like a knife or does it feel like needles. A throb maybe? Do you think you can describe it?" Maura practically tossed the cup down by the pitcher and squeezed Jane's shoulder. "Do I need to call the doctor? Morphine?"

Jane held up her hand to call off the impromptu interrogation. "When's lunch?"

"No time soon."

The clock on the wall read 2:30 PM. Jane toss her friend a look. "Are you kidding me?"

"You just had a surgery. They're not letting you eat until your body proves they put you together properly."

"Put me..." Jane pinched her the bridge of her nose. "What, I'm Humpty Dumpty now? What are you talking about?"

"You have to display appropriate gas...distribution."

Blank Stare. "Umm...gas...distribution. What? I have to burp, is that what you're telling me?"

Maura sighed. "Or another physical response. A natural physical response."

"They're waiting for me to fart." Jane wiped her mouth. "That's sexy."

Maura paused on her trip to get more ice. "No it isn't."

After giving Jane a few extra chips to compensate for no meal Maura put the cup down and pushed the table away.

"This sweater is actually quite comfortable, what kind of blend is it?" She pulled Jane's hoodie off and still managed to keep her hair flawless. She studied the tag. "Cotton 60%, Rylon 40 %. Hmmm."

"Look, Doc is gone. Can you tell me what's going on?" Jane let the blanket pool on her lap. "And why am I really wrapped in your 'linens'?"

Maura let the hoodie fall down into her chair. She sighed. "Three days ago, some hired guns attempted an assassination on your family."

No. Jane felt the fear bunch up at the bottom of her heart heavy and bloated. It felt like a leak had sprung in her chest and was slowly sinking her down against the bed. She blinked. Maybe she shouldn't ask. "...did they...did they..."

"Succeed? No."

Jane exhaled the breath she didn't know she'd been holding. "Hopefully, you've got some more good news."

"Frankie was with your parents and was able to spot the shooters; he got your parents out but took a few shots himself." Maura checked the IV bag. More as something to do than from any real concern. This was not her morgue. She had no jurisdiction here. "He was up and out in a few hours. They moved them in quickly enough."

They were safe. Frankie would have a few battle scars to impress his police buddies. And her mother would live to annoy her another day. She couldn't wait.

"Moved them in?"

"Undisclosed location." Maura arranged the blanket so that it was neatly folded and square over Jane's lap. "The threat was bigger than the department first thought."

Jane nodded. "And I'll be joining them."

"No."

"Excuse me?" Jane leaned forward and grabbed hold of Maura's wrist. "What do you mean?"

"I mean you won't be joining them." Maura sat down, her eyes lingering on Jane's fingers wrapped around her arm. "You can't."

Jane loosened her grip and rested their hands on the bed. "There must be some way."

"They want the situation to improve before they take you. They don't want to...risk it."

"So where am I staying?"

Maura's eyebrow shot up and she gave Jane a smirk. "I suppose this is a good time to go over house rules."

"No. Uh uh, It's not happening." Jane tried to cross her arms but her cast hindered her; so she settled for grabbing her chin while shaking her head. "I don't see that working."

"Bass loves you."

"The turtle loves me. Great." Jane carefully navigated the IV line as she swept her hair back. "Well there's too much to even consider."

"As in?"

"Stuff? **Stuff!** My stuff at my apartment. The stuff I keep there. Jo Friday. My dog stuff."

"_Stuff_ that Korsak and Frost already helped me to obtain." Maura floated off the bed and toward the chair where she pulled up the hoodie. "Where I got this. Comfort clothes to help you deal with the misery initiated by your incident."

"The incident of being shot?"

"Yes."

"Well, maybe you didn't get the right stuff?"

"Well I was a bit overwhelmed, but I had such a nice conversation with your neighbor."

"Neighbor."

"Nice girl. Attractive. Expressive Eyes."

Jane felt her eyelids droop. Her breathing became deep and slow. "Marisa. Yeah."

"Marisa. Often thought to be a combination of Maria and Luisa. Spanish, Italian, Portuguese."

"You're just a veritable encyclopedia."

"Again, yes."

"So, there were no problems at my place. No break in or anything."

"I couldn't tell you from the condition it was in, but we decided to have all your clothes checked for bugs and tracking devices. None were found."

"Well that's good."

"No cameras. No suspicious new people in the building."

"Strange." Jane turned on her side and pulled the blanket back over her. "We'll have to see into that."

"I found it odd as well."

"What's with the blanket..." Jane blinked out. She fell into a deep sleep.

"Just easing you into it. Life at my house." Maura decided to read over some medical journals while she waited for Jane to get a few hours of sleep.

Korsak and Frost would take a while to secure her house. They needed to 'set up camp' in a few of her spare rooms, being that they were the duo assigned security detail. She wouldn't tell Jane about the folder of pictures they found in the would be assassins' motel rooms. Or that no place would be safe for the Rizzolis as long as this grudge was still had. At the moment Jane didn't need to know that this was just the beginning of what Maura was certain would be the family feud of the decade. But it was a relief that she was examining the sleeping patterns of her friend, and not examining the entry wounds of her friend's corpse.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer in chapter one.

The next few days flew by without anybody hunting her down. Jane barely managed to tell the day shift and night shift nurse from each other. The only difference she could see was the color of scrubs. And god forbid if one of them changed colors.

Maura came carrying news from the ongoing investigation, well the few facts Korsak and Frost gave her each day. She'd bring with her a few odds and ends from home-arranging them with a silent enthusiasm. A couple of her belongings made Jane question her living arrangements for the next few weeks. Like the mini statue that came with some name Jane couldn't pronounce and a sharp wooden grin. It was supposed to aid in rapid recovery, but every time Jane opened her eyes she felt sicker than before.

"Miss Resnick, today is your last day. How do you feel about that?"

It took Jane only a few minutes less than usual to respond to her alias. She waited as the nurse, was she Samantha, checked her vitals.

"I feel sore."

"Oh, I'm sure your friend can help you with that."

Jane pushed the table away from her. "What?"

Samantha pulled the table further away from the patient. "Your friend? She's a doctor right?"

"Yeah." Jane scratched her head. "...Something like that."

"Well that's nice-" A knock stopped her mid-sentence. She opened the door to reveal a very flustered man. "Oh, Mr. Resnick, your sister was screaming to get out of here."

"Hey, I did not scream." Jane hugged Maura's blanket closer to her. "I merely expressed my discomfort vocally."

"Yeah, I believe the lovely Samantha before I have any of that."

"Oh flattering me isn't going to speed this up any more than usual." Samantha pick up the chart and let Jane's brother keep the patient company. "Doctor needs to come in and after that you'll be free to check out."

Jane tossed the blanket off of her and swung her legs over the edge of the bed, while Frost took Maura's regular seat next to her. She rolled her eyes as he sipped some coffee. "Hey, Bro, where's mine?"

"None. Doctor's orders." Frost said before he took a huge gulp of his drink.

"Doctor?"

"Maura."

Jane didn't comment on the fact that coffee was hardly going to wreck her recovery. She rested her left hand on her knee and thought she'd wiggle some more information out of her partner. "How's the case going?"

"Uhn uh." Frost smacked his lips and put the empty cup on the floor beside the chair. As he placed the cup down something on the nightstand caught his attention. He leaned forward, the back of his knees scrapping lightly against the chair, and snatched up the little health god. "Little guy looks handmade. How cool is that?"

"Could you focus?" Jane watched as Frost made the little statue dance back and forth of the arm of his chair. "Could you put Larry back?"

"Larry?"

Jane raised both eyebrows and tilted her head to the nightstand. "Back."

Frost pressed Larry back down on the little night stand and Jane quickly slid him to his original place. Frost raised an eyebrow of his own.

"Maura has this knack for knowing the precise place...well never mind. The case."

"As you well know, I can't tell you much, but I will say that we have a few leads."

"Okay. Any look good?"

"A few. Jane, we're going to have to question you."

"Question me? I barely remember what happened."

"You're still a witness."

"If that's the case why haven't you already taken my statement."

"Thought you needed some time to recover from the accident. Get your head together."

Jane pulled her legs back onto the mattress and squeezed them to her chest. "Korsak better be looking after Jo."

"You know he is. But she might not go back to store brand doggie food after Maura's finished with her."

"Aww, now I'm never getting my dog back. And I don't give her store brand."

"Yeah, okay."

Jane let Frost help her into the unmarked black car they had waiting for her in the back of the hospital. Drizzle covered them as they descended into the dark streets. Jane felt her left hand crawl up to the patch where hair should have been. The doctor told her that a scar would form, but when the hair grew back it would hardly be noticeable. That got her wondering what kind of scars Frankie had. Could he hide them with a well tuck shirt, or did they mar the stubble on his chin. Would he look the same? Had this all scarred him deeper than they knew?

She let her hand drop to the notes in her lap. The only proof that her family was out there in the world. Jane traced the letters of her mother's urgent writing. Angela liked to slant her words forward as if that would quicken the pace and get more out on the sheet. Even on paper she was a big mouth. Her dad didn't write much, but he'd taken the time to jot down something to his daughter. His heavy hand in neat block print looked slow next to Angela's. Where her mother would go on long tangents about the neighbor's children and about the Tuccis, Frank Sr. got to the point. They were fine. The nice police officers there with them were fine. Frankie did good. And Frankie, he wrote in something that was half print half cursive. He strung the words together almost as if it were an after thought. He wrote like her. She used to get mad about it, saying he did it on purpose cause he couldn't have anything that was really his own. Secretly she enjoyed it. Seeing those little lines gave her enough courage to be without them.

"Hey, Jane, you still there?" Frost asked as he flipped the heat on to fight against the coolness of the rain.

"Why am I really staying at Maura's?"

Frost threw her a look before searching the road again. He opened his mouth to speak. Something slammed into them. Frost ripped the wheel to the right.

"I'll get back to you on that."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter One for Disclaimer.

A/N: I'm not a Grant/Rizzoli shipper. However I like Grant as a character and will include him.

A/N 2: Chase scenes a bit short.

Jane grabbed the handle right at the edge of the ceiling before it morphed into the door and ground her teeth as Frost swerved into a new road. A screech slammed into her ears as their pursuer swerved behind them. Jane looked up and saw Larry wrenched in between the front window and the dash. She snatched him up and put him in her pant pocket. After another heavy bump tossed her an inch off her seat she grabbed hold of the side of her chair and waited for Frost to outrun these schmucks.

She peeked at the side mirror and caught sight of not one car but two. "Uh, Frost-"

"Jane, kinda busy." Frost pushed the gas pedal harder and they lurched forward.

"Frost?"

Frost crossed in between two 16-wheelers and stayed there for a moment. The Trucks acting as a temporary shield behind him and to his left as a wall loomed over them on the right. "What?"

"There's two of them." Jane took the opportunity to check her seat belt and to dash out a prayer she barely remembered from her years at school.

"Nah, that gray one is Korsak." Frost rubbed his beard and then put the car in gear. "Ready?"

"Sure." Jane felt her body slash forward as Frost weaved through the few cars left in front of them. Her stomach felt like it was about to explode. "You might want to lose them before I lose my dinner."

A crack crashed into the back window. Jane ducked, regretting it instantly as the throbbing in her head returned. A second crack took out Jane's side mirror. Frost shrank down, his head pushed as close to his shoulders as human anatomy would allow. He looked at Jane, his lips held tight in a thin line. "I have a plain."

"Please don't tell me to roll down my window and shoot back at them." Jane felt her stomach try to push up her throat. "This isn't the _Last Action Hero_."

Frost swerved into a right turn but instead of pushing forward he drifted the car until they were pointed the way they came taking their pursuers by surprise. Frost ripped by them and tore back through the now empty road. Jane smacked his arm.

"This isn't Fast and Furious either, Van Diesel." But the smile was evident in her voice. "Damn. Now I wish I had done some shooting."

"We're not out of this yet." Frost replied, a huge white smile plastered on his boyish face. He used his radio to check on what was happening. "Korsak, this is Frost. You there?"

A few moments passed without a reply. Jane pushed herself up in her seat, as far as the seat belt allowed, and listened to the deafening silence. Come on. Come on. Korsak answer your radio. Frost also looked grim. His eyes searched the road ahead and then darted to the rear view mirror. "Copy?"

"...Copy!" Korsak's voice spirited into the car. Both Detectives sighed and settled into their seats.

"How's your end of it?" Frost asked after a few seconds.

"Got a license plate number, called it in earlier. But I'm pretty sure it'll come up stolen." Korsak said, then he swore. "Uh, look this is a lovely conversation but I think I have visitors."

"Korsak?" Jane grabbed the receiver. "Korsak, you come back here. Safety in numbers."

The line went silent. She threw the receiver.

"Look, Korsak knows how to handle things like this." Frost said, but she didn't think he sounded too sure of that. "Once I know we're clear we'll head home."

"You mean Maura's home."

"Yeah."

Frost called in some help for Korsak, not wanting to risk the older man's safety. Korsak could be unbelievably stubborn at times. Frost settled into the quiet drive taking the long way to Maura's house. Figured if any suspicious vehicles caught up with them they'd be easier to spot.

"You knew they were going to chase us." Jane traced her finger over her cast. "You planned this?"

"It kinda happens when you don't have many leads." Frost said as he smoothed his tie down, then quickly returned his left hand to the steering wheel.

"You told me you had leads."

"And all of their alibis checked out, of course we think one of them is lying."

Rizzoli trudged behind Frost. Her feet ran on automatic, taking her down the familiar path to her friend's door. She had her brown bag of medicine clutched tightly in her left hand. Frost lifted a hand to knock but the door flung open to reveal Dr. Isles decked out in some big named designer from head to toe. Her outfit included a pair of heels that seemed wrong this late at night.

"I'm glad neither of you are dead."

Frost slid pass Isles, shaking his head. "Uh...you too." He whispered.

Jane found herself caught in a massive bear hug. She clutched at Maura's back to try and balance them out. She had no desire to crash into the ground. With one last squeeze Maura guided Jane into the house. She went along without a fuss.

"Glad you're not dead? You couldn't just say Hi."

"Then how would you have known how I felt?"

"I think you clued me in with the hug." Jane wiped her face as Maura paused to consider her greeting. She must have come to a conclusion because she finished locking up and went on her way.

"Grant called about your condition. I told him you were better. He asked me to give you a message."

Jane felt the blood rush to her face. She brushed a thumb over her eyebrows and smiled. "Yeah?"

"Yes." Maura kept walking.

She followed Maura into the kitchen where she tossed her medicine on the counter. Maura gave her a pointed look before taking out each bottle and arranging them in a cabinet with her bottles of aspirin, and ibuprofen. She took a sharpie out of a drawer and blacken out Jane's name on the sticker attacked to the bag before folding it into a neat square. Then she walked over to a small bin and tossed it inside. Maura nodded to herself before setting out two glasses and filling them with water from a cold pitcher.

"Maura?"

"Hmm?"

"What was the message?"

The blonde took a sip of water. "He called about your condition."

"And?"

"And that's it. I suppose he would like you to call him at some point in time."

Jane sighed. "Of course." She felt eyes on her. "Yes?"

"It's very unfortunate about your hair."


	5. Chapter 5

a/n: Sorry for the delay. Had some things to deal with. I hope you keep reading.

Disclaimer: Chapter one.

Chapter Five:

Jane pushed into one of Maura's spare rooms, the same one she's stayed in God knows how many times, and relaxed when she saw a few of her things from home. She got into the bed and pulled Larry from her pocket. "You must be a protection idol too." She stood him up on the nightstand. The door creaked open and Maura slipped in, garbed in her shiny pajamas. She carried two mugs and handed one off to Jane.

"What is this warm wine?"

Maura paused. "No, would you like some?"

"No." Jane smirked into the mug. She took a sip. "Whoa. What is that?"

"Hot chocolate." Maura took a drink of hers.

"Liar." Jane drank some more. If it wasn't so hot, she'd chug it. "I've tasted hot chocolate."

"Yes, but not mine." Maura pointed at Larry. "Oh, you remembered to bring him."

"Huh...oh, yeah, Larry's a pal. Ain't you Larry?" She picked him up and wiggled him. "Do you mind if I borrowed him for a bit longer."

Maura fluttered her eyelashes at Jane and Larry. She leaned her head on her hand and sipped her drink. "Larry? Like Wilson?"

Wilson? Jane put Larry back into place. She went to sip some more chocolate but the mug was empty. Frowning she twisted in place. "I have no idea what you're talking about?"

Maura wiped a lock of hair out of her eyes. "You will."

Jane plopped the mug down next to Larry and rested her hands behind her head. "If you think."

"Do you feel displaced, not being able to work the case?"

"Don't I always?" Jane felt a warmth spread through her mouth. She cleared her throat. The tingling grew more intense. "That chocolate was hot."

"That's when it's best."

"No, like it was hot...hot." Jane rubbed her tongue over her teeth, tasting the chocolate left there. "What was in that?"

Maura looked toward the door as she grabbed both mugs. She held them in her hands, a smile pasted on her face. "Secret...recipe."

"Oh no. Don't do that thing."

"What thing?"

"The thing were you avoid saying what you mean, but also avoid lying."

"Really Jane, get some sleep. You're barely comprehensible."

"I'll show you comprehensible. I'll make myself real clear." Jane pushed off the bed with her left hand and slipped through the open door, after her friend. Maura, being on home territory, had the advantage.

The detective limped to the kitchen only to find a sole light penetrating the dark. A floor board creaked and she turned around. Jane skid through a number of halls before she spotted a door clicking close. She cracked the door open ready to pounce.

A phone rang. She listened for Maura to get it. Then it rang again.

Jane returned to the kitchen and picked up the sleek black hand held. She stared at the door ready for Maura to pop in at any moment. This house isn't that big, Jane thought as she waited for the caller to say something. When nobody said anything Jane took the initiative. "Hello?"

Breathing. Heavy Breathing.

Jane eyed the phone and saw Korsak's number in little blinking black letters. She rolled her eyes.

"This isn't funny."

"Good I'm not a comedian Ms. Rizzoli."

Jane hung up and slammed the phone on the counter. She felt her body slump against the marble slab as she bent over. How so fast? Of course they knew about Maura. After all it wasn't often that they were apart. They must have been watching her for weeks. Maura.

Jane went to the knife block and pulled the first one her hand laid on. Stop, she turned to the kitchen door, what are you doing? They'll have you in psych as quick as it takes Maura to order some shoes. Jane sighed.

"Frost?" She called out, the handle of the knife bit into her palm as she squeezed it in her hand. "Maura?"

Jane slid to the hall, the knife leading the way. If they hurt Korsak, Frost, or Maura. Jane heard feet coming toward her. Loud, feet. Shoes thumping. Jane lifted her hand and bent her knees ready to throw herself if she had to.


End file.
